2021 has seen a rise in Latinx podcasts, below are some podcasts that speak to the present Latinx experience that is not the experience of our parents.
1. Yeah, No I’m Not OK: A new podcast that was made to open up the conversation about mental health.
Each week actress Diane Guerrero (Orange is the New Black) explores issues such as addiction, depression, anxiety, and suicide speaking with professionals, artists, and activists.
In one episode, “Let Me Explain,” Guerrero shares her personal experiences of growing up in a household with addiction and how communities of color tend to shy away from mental health issues or conversations.
2. Latinx Therapy: Adriana Alejandre, LMFT, launched the Latinx Therapy podcast to discuss mental health topics specifically related to Latinx individuals. She busts mental health myths and touches on stigmatized topics with other Latinx mental health professionals in both English and Spanish.
In one of her most recent episodes, “Immigrant Youth’s Mental Health,” Alejandre speaks with licensed marriage and family therapist, Stephanie Del Chiaro, about how immigration status, family, and schooling affect mental health and different interventions that may be helpful in each situation.
3. Latina to Latina: Journalist Alicia Menendez hosts Latina to Latina and shines a light on Latinas making a difference in the world in various industries.
In one of her latest episodes, “How Mend’s Founder, Elle Huerta, Wants to Help You Beat Burnout,” Menendez discusses professional burnout: warning signs, recovery, and steps necessary to tackle stress. They touch on how work stress can take a toll on your mental health so much so that you are no longer productive in the work place and the six key areas to address when dealing with burnout.
4. My Latinx Life: Joe Arredondo hosts the My Latinx Life podcast where he shines a light on Latino leaders. He touches on different community organizations, culture, Latinx history, and mental health.
In one specific episode, “Teens Talking Mental Health,” he chats with a group of teens who launched their own podcast called Teens Talking Mental Health. It focuses on mental health from both a professional and personal standpoint.
The diverse group of teens originally started as a fundraising group to support the Seattle Children’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Unit but COVID-19 forced them to move to a virtual platform.
5. Wait, Hold Up: Yarel Ramos and Jessica Molina host the podcast Wait Hold Up discussing everything from skincare to self-care with experts and home girls from their community.
In their most recent episode, “Why Am I Letting Myself Suffer Like This,” they talk about depression on a more personal level and Jessica opens up about her experiences with anti-depressants. She talks about the time she realized that she needed medical help, how medication affected her, and her overall mental health journey.
6. En La Sala: En La Sala is a newer podcast created by Becky G exclusively on Amazon Music.
Each week, she touches on different topics and chats with her favorite artists about the Latinx community and the role of women in the music industry. Each episode focuses on a non-profit organization related to the theme of each week.
In one episode, “Healing La Salud Mental,” Becky talks about how mental health isn’t talked about in the Latinx community. She interviews J Balvin on how anxiety and depression has changed his life and therapist, Adriana Alejandre, talks about how critical therapy can be in a person’s life.
7. Super Mamas: New moms and sisters, Paulina and Bricia Lopez launched the Super Mamas podcast to create a judgment-free and educational space for new, expecting, and experienced moms.
In their episode, “Dealing with Post-Pandemic Anxiety in Children,” they chat with Dr. Maritza Mikolich about in-person schooling after a year of at-home learning. They touch on anxiety issues that children may face as they reenter the classroom and Dr. Mikolich shares what behavioral signs to look out for while offering tips on how to help kids get back to socialization in a safe way.
8. Locatora Radio: Mala Muñoz and Diosa Femme host Locatora Radio covering topics including pop culture to feminism, wellness, and art through a feminist Latinx lens.
In one of their most recent episodes, “How to Self Care During the Apocalypse with Najeia Mention” they talk about mental health in black and brown communities during times of crisis.